Trials & Tribulations: A Cry in the Dark
by BackstreetFan
Summary: Nike begins her life in the real world with some terrifying hands-on training: a nearby hovercraft has transmitted a distress signal.....
1. Interrupted

*** The sequel to _Nemesis Awakened_ (replacing _A Visit to Zion_). Please read and review! (Note: I only own Nemesis, Nike, and Jade. All other characters belong to Warner Brothers.)***

Trials & Tribulations:

A Cry in the Dark

__

Nike begins her life in the real world _with some terrifying hands-on training: a nearby hovercraft has transmitted a distress signal._

Chapter 1- Interrupted

Things slowly swirled into focus for Nike. Walls, cold, metallic, and unforgiving. No color, save for the bright white light. No life, except for her.

And one other. Nemesis, her betrayer.

"You bitch!" Nike screamed, lauching herself off the bed. It was too soon. She quickly clattered to the floor. Nemesis quickly pinned the other girl against the metal.

"Calm down, Nike-"

"CALM DOWN??? You leave me alone to face that...that.....you could have warned me!"

"You wouldn't have believed me."

"I would too."

"No, you wouldn't have," Nemesis repeated. "I can still see it in your eyes. You don't believe. But you will, I promise you." Nemesis let Nike go. Nike just sat there, a little stunned and now beginning to feel foolish for her outburst.

"Nemesis.."

"Would you like to see the rest of this place?"

Nike peered out into the hallway, wondering what lay beyond. She looked back at Nemesis. "Where are we anyway?"

"You'd like to know?"

Nike hesitated, but it was only slight. "Yes."

Nemesis offered Nike her hand, and Nike took it. She stood up. Nemesis turned and walked out of the room. Nike followed behind, curiosity getting the better of her. "This is the hovercraft Nebuchanezzar. She belongs to Morpheus."

"This....this is all his? I thought it belonged to you."

Nemesis laughed. "I wish."

They climbed up the ladder. "This is the main deck," Nemesis said. "And over there.....that's the core....."

It was deserted. No one was on watch, not even Tank.

"So where is everyone?" Nike's voice called out from behind Nemesis, bringing her out of her reverie.

"Probably all up in the cockpit. And the only reason for that is something has gone terribly wrong."

The two headed up towards the cockpit, voices now growing into a steady murmur. "What else could go terribly wrong today?" Nike mumbled to herself. "Everything already has."

Morpheus, who was hunched over a console, turned when the pair walked in. "About time. We've received a distress call from a ship, the Emancipator. We're awaiting instructions from Zion."

"Huh?" Nike asked, becoming more confused by the minute.

"Nebuchanezzar!" a loud and authorative voice boomed over the intercom. "You are to proceed with caution to Emancipator and aid any personnel still alive. Some of our more heavily armed ships should arrive soon after you do. Zion, out!"

Morpheus manipulated the controls, and the Neb rose slightly and shot forward, navigating the abyss. "Um.....what's out there besides us?" Nike asked timidly.

"Squiddies."

"What?"

"Search and destroy machines."

"Then why," hissed Nike, "are we heading to the site of an attack by these.....squiddies?"

"Because we have to help." Nemesis stared out ahead, and Nike dropped the debate for the moment.

Jade spoke up. "Sir, if their are any survivors, they'll probably be seriously injured. I'll need some extra help."

"Nemesis! Nike!"

Both jumped at the same time. "Yes, sir?"

"Go down with Tank and run through all medical training simulations."

*****

It was a mess. The squiddies had done the Matrix's dirty, evil work. Nemesis crossed her fingers. She was still holding on to the small, slim hope that someone was alive. 

"All right," Morpheus said, easing the Neb directly over the Emancipator. "No squiddies in sight, and the sensors would have gone off if there were." He glanced up through the viewscreen. The ships main boarding port was still intact. "Tank, Jade, Nike, you stay behind, monitor communications, and await our return with any survivors. The rest of you come with me. We're boarding her."

*****

The Neb slowly inched towards the derelict hovercraft's entrance port. There was a loud clang, signaling the locking together of the ships. "Thank you, it's still working!" Nemesis muttered to herself more than to the rest of the boarding party.

Morpheus pulled open the hatch, and one by one everyone crept in. First Morpheus. Then Neo. Trinity. Smith. Nemesis came last. She immediately dropped down to the main deck, the catwalks on the upper levels were decimated.

It was as close to hell as she had ever been.

Wires were sparking off randomly everywhere. The metal was melted slightly in places. "How could anyone survive?" Nemesis asked staring in wonder.

Morpheus turned. The same thought was obviously on his mind. "I don't-"

"H..help.....me....please....."

Everyone jumped at the sound of a distinctly human voice. A _young_ human voice. "Where are you?" Neo shouted.

"Here....over here.....help meeee......" The voice was coming from a passageway blocked off by debris. Trinity immediately opened the tool kit she had brought along.

"Nemesis, go up and get Jade & Nike ready. We've got a survivor."

Nemesis ran over to the opening. "ANYONE UP THERE?"

Tank's head appeared. "What's up?" he hollered.

"Throw down a ladder!"

A metal ladder slid down and hit the main deck with a dull thud. Nemesis scrambled up. "Get Nike and Jade. There is someone down there. We've got to get ready."

"Jade! Nike!" Tank tore down the corridor. Jade and Nike appeared.

"WE"VE GOT TWO! HERE THEY COME!"

A young boy, about 8, and another boy, about 16, were passed up. They had survived. Barely. Nemesis quickly carried the younger boy into the infirmary. Nike and Jade were fast on their tails, carrying the older boy.

_Come on, kid. You've got to live. C'mon, LIVE!_


	2. Passage to Zion

Trials & Tribulations

A Cry in the Dark

__

Nike begins life in the real world with some frightening hands-on training: a nearby hovercraft has transmitted a distress signal.

Chapter 2- Passage to Zion

The older boy was still in serious condition, but at least he was stable for the moment. He had floated in and out of consciousness, complaining of pain. Jade had given him something that had completely knocked him out. At least his face didn't betray any sign of pain anymore.

The little one, however, was in a very dire state. He had massive burns, broken ribs, and had also lost a lot of blood. The Neb could only had a limited supply. Morpheus had assured them that the Neb was hurrying towards the human haven with all possible speed. But it would still take a day and a half to get to Zion, _at least_ a day and a half.

_It's the "at least" part that worries me the most,_ Nike thought, staring over the older boy to where Nemesis was seated. Nemesis and Nike shared a glance, and Nike knew that her fellow medic was thinking the same thing.

Time passed in a blur, even though when Nike or Nemesis wasn't busy, they stared at the ship's computerized clock. 36 hours.....35......34......33......32....(would they make it?).......31........30.........

Jade made an entrance, thinking it was about time to change shifts. "Everything holding?"

"Yes," both girls answered in unison.

Nemesis looked down at her patient, then looked up into Jade's bright green eyes. "How soon, Jade?"

"We're looking at another 29 hours."

Nike stood up. "Is there anyway we can transfer at least one of them to one of the other ships?"

Jade sighed. "No. Zion has ordered that we fly directly to the city under the _Dagger_ and _Mars_'s escort. The danger is too great to stop for a transfer. But don't worry, Port Authority has assured me that there are two medical teams standing by awaiting our arrival."

Nike slumped back down in the chair. "Are you all right?" Jade asked worriedly.

"I'm just tired."

"How are you, Nemesis?"

"The same."

"How about you two going to bed? I'll get Morpheus to help me out."

Nike and Nemesis didn't have to be told twice. They left the infirmary, mumbling their good-nights to Jade. The pair made their way down below, but just as Nike was about to step into her room, Nemesis stopped her. "What do you think of the real world?"

"You mean, do I miss my old life?"

"Yeah, that, too."

"I've been so busy taking care of those two, I really haven't had time to give a damn about anything. A life is a life, whether it's in the Matrix or the real world."

Nemesis nodded in agreement. "Good night, Nike."

"Good night, Nemesis."

*****

The next morning at breakfast, Nemesis was seated across from Smith when a thought occurred to her. She looked up at her crewmate.

"Smith?"

"Hmm? What?"

"Is there a registry of all the ships currently in service?"

"I've never seen such a list, but it would make sense if it did. Ask Morpheus, he must know for sure."

So after breakfast, Nemesis climbed up to the cockpit and asked. "Yes, but it's not stored on the Neb," Morpheus answered. "Why do you ask?"

"It's about time we learned the names of these boys, the names of their crewmates, whether they have any relatives in Zion that need to be notified-"

"Don't worry," Morpheus assured her. "We'll be allowed access to that information once we reach Zion."

"When?"

Morpheus glanced at the clock. "Another.......20 hours."

"20 hours." Nemesis sank back against the metal wall, still harboring her doubts.

"Do something to take your mind off of it. Train with Nike, sleep, help with some minor repairs, there are a million things you could do."

Nemesis left the cockpit. It was time to get back to her original task: training Nike.

*****

Nemesis slowly took Nike through weapons and combat training. She watched Nike fight the computer, then had Tank remove the simulated instructors and she tested her protege herself. She added in little tips and tricks, corrections to small flaws in Nike's technique. Small flaws, she had heard from Morpheus time and again, were rewarded by death in the Matrix. There was no margin for error. You either won or you lost.

*****

Morpheus, unnoticed by the pair, had been observing their pair for quite some time after handing the controls over to Neo & Trinity. "Good. Good," he said to himself, watching them dance across the screen. He turned his attention to Tank again. "How long now?"

"10 hours, sir."

"Have they done the jump simulation yet?"

"No.....wait, Nemesis just asked me for it now."

Morpheus turned to Smith, who had also been watching. "Do you-"

"Do I want to bet?"

"Yes."

"There is no way that Nike can make it."

*****

Without a thought or a care in the world, Nemesis leaped off one skyscraper and onto the roof of another. She spun around, waiting. Nike was coming. She backed up. She ran. Nike was flying. Nike fell, and fell hard.

"All right, Tank, that's enough for the day. Bring us back."

Nemesis watched the digital world dissolve into the Neb's metal walls. She leaned over to see what Nike was up to. She was slightly amused to find Nike fighting sleep. "Go on, sleep. I'll beat you again tomorrow."

Nike was too tired to fire back a retort. She walked to her cabin without another backward glance.

*****

More time passed, and the crew had nearly arrived at Zion.

Jade had pronounced the two boys stable enough to be moved to stretchers by the ramp. (In case the entry ports didn't work, a ramp was built to serve as a backup. It served their needs perfectly. Jade didn't want to risk sliding them down through a small hole.

Nike and Nemesis were also down with the Neb's head medic. They listened as the ship settled, and then touched down.

The ship's intercom crackled a little. "All right, Jade, let the ramp down," Morpheus called. Jade hit the control switch that lowered the ramp. Air hissed in, and Nike and Nemesis watched in wonder as the landing field and the city beyond unfolded before their eyes. The medical teams rushed in and whisked the boys away. Jade followed, leaving the girls to exit with the rest of the crew.

"What do you think?"

They both jumped. Neo was coming up from behind them, along with the rest of the crew. Nike was the one who answered.

"I think I'm going to like it here."


	3. Hawk and Chaos

************************************************************************

Just want to give the usual stuff before you read on: the only characters I own are Nemesis, Nike, Jade, Hawk, and Chaos. Any other characters, places belong to Warner Bros. and the Wachowskis.

************************************************************************

Trials & Tribulations:

A Cry in the Dark

__

Nike begins her life in the real world with some terrifying hands-on training: a nearby hovercraft has transmitted a distress signal.

Chapter 3- Hawk and Chaos

_Plunk._

Smith didn't look up as Nemesis sat down in the chair beside him. Nike was about to come over, too, but Nemesis waved her away. She sensed that Smith did not want too much attention. Nike nodded, and sat back down where she had been sitting, next to the rest of the crew. They were waiting for news of the two boys, they sat just outside the emergency room.

"You can sit by us, you know. We're not enemies anymore."

Smith finally glanced up into the girl's face. "It's not that."

"Then what is it? Tell me!" Nemesis immediately regretted that statement. "I'm sorry, Smith. You don't have to tell me." Nemesis started to get up, but Smith grabbed her sleve.

"No," he said. "I...I...need...t-to..."

"To talk someone?" Nemesis guessed.

"Yes."

"So what do you want to talk about?"

"I caused this," Smith said, his voice trying not to show his "human" emotions, which were obviously getting the better of him. "It's my fault. If I hadn't ordered their construction...you understand that it was I who cuased their creation? Do you understand that I gave them their orders? I _killed_, Nemesis, without a thought of what I was doing. Now I've seen through to the other side.....and I've seen what I've done. I don't like it."

"That was a different life. It's all over." Nemesis wrapped her arm around Smith's shoulder. He tensed for a moment, but didn't resist. An idea struck her just then.

"Smith......I forgive you."

"What?" he asked, looking up with confusion and disbelief.

"I forgive you."

Smith looked down, but Nemesis knew that she had gotten across. He had been forgiven. And he could move on.

"Morpheus?" a woman asked, coming out of the ER and approaching the group.

"Yes?" he asked, standing up and approaching her. The entire crew stood, too, and gathered around for news.

"They're going to be all right."

*****

_It hurts. Why do I hurt so much?_

Voices. Sound. Someone was near. _Chaos?_

"The ship was attacked..." _What ship? Who is that?_

".....the crew was killed." _Who was killed? Is Chaos all right?_

"....two survivors...." _Who survived what? Tell me, please! Someone answer me._

Light. Bright light, _and it hurts._ The light slowly faded away. Two people where there: a man....a woman. _A...doctor? Am I sick? Who is this man?_

"Look, he's awake," the man said, walking over and taking the small boy's hand. "Hello, Hawk."

Hawk was in too much pain to really care that a stranger knew his name. "It hurts.....please...m-mister, it hurts," was all that he was able to whisper. The lady, the doctor, went out of his line of sight. She came back, holding....something.

There was a slight prick in his skin, and Hawk fell asleep, remembering nothing more.

*****

Chaos remembered. And his memory was vivid. He could see the wreckage.....the blood....the bodies....._NO!!!!!_

His eyes flew open. A different room, a different reality. He was lying down in a bed, a soft bed. Chaos searched his memory. _Hospital.....I was taken to a hospital......_

The door opened, and Chaos backed up as far as he could. Two girls had entered his room. His space. His reality. And he didn't like it. "What....are you doing here?" he tried to growl as he sat up.

"You shouldn't be up," one of them said. "You should be resting."

"The hell I will!" Despite that statement, he collapsed back down on the bed, unsucessfully struggling against the blackness.

*****

Four weeks passed, and Hawk and Chaos had recovered from their injuries. They walked to the landing field, having been taken in a new crew members on the Neb. Hawk slipped his hand into both Nemesis and Nike's, bouncing along and laughing. He had nearly no memory of what had happened. It was hard for him to be sad about something that he did not remember.

Chaos walked behind, a shadowy look on his face. He remembered fully. And he would not forget. Never.

"Hey, you awake?" Tank asked, playfully punching him on the shoulder.

"I'm fine." Chaos walked into the ship, following his new crewmates. He didn't look back at all. He forced himself not to.

************************************************************************

This is the end of _A Cry In The Dark._ I will be continuing the _Trials & Tribulations_ series, expect to see the next story soon! (Please R&R!)

************************************************************************


End file.
